Pre-Punched Kit for a Classical Armillary Sphere
The standard instrument for observer-centred astronomy for over 2000 years. With this beautiful Desktop Planetarium you can easily visualise the movement of Sun, Moon, planets, and fixed stars above and below the horizon for any location on Earth and any day of the year. A real gem, not only as an astronomical instrument and teaching tool, but also as a fantastic showpiece.
Sturdy mechanics
The meridian can be adjusted for all latitudes between the north and south pole. The ecliptic shows the position of the Sun for each day of the year with date, angle, and the signs of the zodiac. The hour ring shows true local time, and lengths of day, night, and twilight. Along the adjustable lunar orbit you can see the moving nodes and the zones where solar and lunar eclipses can occur. The planets can be moved into any position on the ecliptic.
With an optional set of Barrel Bolts you can build your Desktop Planetarium so that it can be easily taken apart and flat-packed for transport. Ideal for lectures and teaching purposes!
The Desktop Planetarium has the following features:
- Meridian adjustable to all latitudes, including north and south pole
- Ecliptic with dates, degree scale, and stellar constellations
- Equinoctial with apparent local time, twilight zones, and lengths of day and night
- Lunar orbit with moveable nodes and eclipse indicators
- Foam rubber planets that can be positioned freely on the ecliptic
- Constructed from four layers of cardboard, nearly as strong as laminated wood
- Collapsible when built with our optional set of Barrel Bolts
- Pre-punched kit with gold, black, red, blue, and white printing
Construction time: 8-12 hours
Includes: planet spheres, axles, and PVC bearings
Height: 35cm, Diameter: 33cm
Producer: AstroMedia GmbH, Im Wirrigen 30, 45731 Waltrop, Germany, astromedia.de
Below you can download the instructions for this kit.
Things you’ll need for assembly, or which might be useful:
- a firm, flat work surface
- a cutting mat is useful
- a sharp craft knife or scalpel
- a sharp pair of scissors
- some fine-grit sandpaper
- a few clothes pegs
- a good all-purpose glue
- coloured felt-tip pens or opaque paints for painting the planet spheres
- a gold paint pen
- a silver paint pen
- optional: a screwdriver for tightening the barrel bolts
Please note: Before you start building, please decide whether you want to permanently glue the tabletop planetarium together or assemble it in such a way that it can be taken apart.
You can download the ephemeris for all days and years from this website:
https://www.astro.com/swisseph/swepha_e.htm
Supervision by adults:
Children under the age of 14 should only use the kit under adult supervision to avoid risks due to improper handling.
Take care with small parts:
Choking hazard! Keep small parts out of the reach of small children.
Risk of injury:
Take particular care when handling pointed and sharp parts! Use sharp tools with care and take suitable safety measures to avoid injury if necessary.
Fire hazard:
Keep away from open sources of fire and heat. Product contains highly flammable materials.
Components of the kit can release harmful substances when burnt.
Adhesive use:
Follow the manufacturer's safety instructions when using adhesive. Work in well-ventilated areas and avoid contact with skin or eyes.
Intended use:
The kit should be used in accordance with the enclosed instructions. Independent modifications may impair the functionality and safety of the model built.
